Ellmau resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Ellmau
Overview
Ellmau ski resort is a compact village within the SkiWelt carousel, the second largest lift-linked ski area in Austria that extends to Kitzbühel and beyond.
The village sits at 620m in a valley covered in pine forest and surround by the jagged peaks of the Kaiser mountains. Its very pretty and a typical Austrian alpine ski resort thats very popular with mountain enthusiasts who want to ski more than party.
Après-ski
Ellmau offers a full range of restaurants which are largely housed in the local hotels. The après-ski typically kicks off in the mountain huts such as the Rübezahl Alm before heading back into the village. Popular bars include Pub66 and Sandy’s that rock until late with live music.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 620m |
| Top lift | 1957m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 284 |
| Longest run | 7 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 70 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 5 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxed |
Ellmau ski area
The ski area is the second largest in Austria with 284kms of lift-linked pistes and caters for all levels of skier and snowboarder.
The ski season normally starts early December and runs to early April. The snow can be hit and miss though and due to the low level of the mountains, can be an issue early and late season. If the weather comes in from Russia, the snow conditions can be some of the best in the Alps. Unfortunately, this doesnt happen that often. Thankfully, there are lots of snowcannons that cover 80% of the pistes so you can be confident that most of the pistes will be open.
Beginners
There is a nursery slope in the village but the main slopes are situated next to Going on an area known as Astberg. This is a great place to learn to ski and ideal for families. From the top chairlift, there are several green and connecting blue pistes which means beginners can enjoy top of the mountain skiing.
Intermediate
Ellmau is an intermediates paradise with a good blend of wide sweeping blues and reds. Taking the main gondola to the top of Hartkaiser Mountain brings you to centre of the SkiWelt carousel. From here, you can sweep down in to Söll or drop over the other side in to Westendorf.
Advanced
There are a few challenging black pistes in the SkiWelt carousel such as the trail from Brandstadl down to Scheffau and a little mogul field between Brandstadl and Neualm,. The steepest black is on a par with the 70% gradient of the terrifying Harakiri run in Mayrhofen. Off piste is the best option and ski touring with a guide is a great way to explore the large area and find the steep and deep powder bowls.
Cross-country
The Kaiser Valley has 70km of beautiful scenic trails for cross-countryskiing. The cross-country trails from Ellmau make their way along the foot of the Wilder Kaiser to the villages of Scheffau and Söll. Most are relatively flat and are superbly prepared with fabulous views of the Kaiser mountain range. What's more, in Scheffau you'll find 1.2km of floodlit trails, open until 9.30pm every evening.
Snowboard
The Intersport Kaiserpark at Ellmau caters for beginners to experts. The beginner line has 3 boxes whilst the advanced has 5 boxes plus a flatrail - Wallridespine-Rainbowbox - Flatbox - Kinkedbox & Picknicktable.
Things to see & do
- Floodlit tobogganing
- Ice climbing
- Snow shoeing
- KaiserBad leisure centre - pool
- Ice skating
- Sleigh rides
- Ski touring
Children
Ellmi's Kids Club is the perfect place to leave your children when you ski. Located at the top of the Hartkaiserbahn lift (1520m), Ellmi's looks after children from 2 to 6 years old. The club is open from 10am to 4pm every day except Saturday and also provides lunchtime supervision if required.
Featured Ski Chalets
See all rentalsOur view on Ellmau
Ellmau is a popular ski resort with extensive skiing around the SkiWelt carousel. With a relaxed apres-ski scene, short transfers from Innsbruck, good beginner slopes and creche facilities, Ellmau has all the ingredients to get high marks for being a family friendly ski resort.
